Until I see you again
by GeneGenielover28
Summary: "Some people are never meant to find happiness but were always destined to achieve greatness". It has been nearly ten and a half years since a broken hearted Alex Drake walked away from Gene Hunt to climb the ranks of Manchester's GMP. She has achieved great success but has paid a heavy price but now after many years her chance at happiness has finally come. Will she take it?


Until I see you again

DCI Alex Drake groaned as she attempted to get through her paperwork in her office, she hated doing paperwork but she hated it most when she was listening to a catfight that had been going on between her female DI and DC. Both women were in love with the one man DS Baker and had been at war with each other ever since. Katherine, the lucky woman who had won the heart of the DS (fairly and squarely noted Alex) had been trying to deal with Sandy's melding schemes diplomatically ever since her and DS Baker had announced to everyone the status of their relationship. Even DS Baker had told her to back off but the woman was too hurt, angry and hell bent at getting what she wanted. In fact she was so focused that she hadn't even considered all the hurt and harm that she was doing to everyone around her including herself. And it had been affecting the performance and harmony of Alex's team that rivalled her old team in Fenchurch East. No. This will not do thought Alex to herself. It was time to put an end to things.

Alex opened up her office door and stepped through to the main area of CID. The conversation stopped, people started to hide behind furniture and the argument that was happening between Sandy and Katherine had stopped. All eyes were now staring at Alex, when the great Detective Chief Inspector Alexandra Drake stepped through her office door with a menacing glare and a stoic posture; everyone knew that someone was going to cop it.

Alex turned and looked at the two females. "DI Connelly, piss off home with DS Baker, you DC Hawkins in my office now, everyone else, piss off to the pub and come back to work nice and early tomorrow morning, you lot a useless to me today" directed Alex.

Everyone didn't need to be told twice, all of them scattered through the double doors, not wanting to meet the cold and stormy eyes of DCI Alex Drake. Sandy Hawkins gulped as she smoothed down her skirt and followed her boss into the office. As Sandy stood waiting for the lecture that she was about to receive for her dismal behaviour Alex just silently sat on the edge of her desk. In a way Alex felt sorry for Sandy, she knew how she felt, watching someone that you love be with someone else, knowing that you had plenty of chances to tell them how you felt only to let the moment slip between your fingers. She knew what it was like to see that person in another person's arms when you feel that that person should've been you but knowing that you had missed your chance. Alex felt her own heart constricting as she thought about the man that she had loved and left behind in London along with all of her friends and colleagues. Alex quickly shook her head, as much as she sympathised with Sandy about her ordeal, her behaviour was causing problems and if she continued the way she was acting then she would be the cause of someone's accident...worse, their deaths and Alex didn't want that hovering over her head.

"Sandy I know that this is hard for you but what are you doing is not doing you any favours, DS Backer has made his choice. He loves Katherine. He is happy with her, you have to let him go and move on even if it hurts you."

"How would you know what I am going through right now, you've never been in love before!" spat Sandy.

"Believe me Sandy, I know all about it" replied a sombre Alex.

Sandy looked at her with curious eyes. "Did you miss your chance to be with someone?"

Alex nodded and took a deep breath.

"Before I came here to Manchester and took the role as DCI, I was in London, a DI working for the Met."

"I know you were the first female to reach such a high position and the first female to become DCI in Manchester" said Sandy.

Alex just nodded and continued on. "Well being offered the position was only half the reasons why I came here. I was in love with DCI Hunt.

Sandy's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "No way, THE DCI Gene Hunt? But he is such a sexist pig, how could you love such a man?"

"Believe me, I thought that that would never happen, I thought he was an overweight, racist, bigoted, sexist, misogynistic, alcoholic pig that smoked like a chimney and had little regard for the rules. But over time as I got to know him I saw another side to DCI Hunt. I saw the honest, caring, compassionate, loving man that he often kept hidden behind his brash personality and I started to fall for him. We got close in 82, mind you we got off to a rocky start with me always challenging him and going off to do my own thing but we worked it out. We got close during the corruption scandal that was plaguing the Met and our relationship was going from strength to strength, but on the eve of operation rose everything fell apart. A tape that I recorded found my way to his desk and Gene took it out of context and I said some things that I shouldn't have, mainly because I was suffering from a brain infection but Gene by then had been too wounded by all of the events and he turned on me. Thought that I was corrupt, suspended me and insulted me about my now deceased daughter. He threatened me in front of everyone that if I got in his way he would kill me" explained Alex.

"How awful, I knew that he had shot you and you were sent to the hospital, you were touch and go I heard".

Alex winced but yet continued. "It was an accident he was trying to save me from Tiny Tim's sister who was in on the blag and was paid to turn Gene's head. It worked and that did hurt me more than anything. After I got around from the coma, things were never the same again; I pushed him away after he distanced himself from me. We still stayed professional and were civil to one another but it was strained, we argued a lot more than we used to and we said some harsh words to each other. Silly I know and it was affecting my health and everyone around me."

"So what happened and what did you do?"

"It was during a case back in early 83, a dating service was being used by a murderer to kill off innocent women, the woman running the show was Elaine Downing, nice woman intelligent too, she helped out with the case. After we caught the murderer I thought that it was wise to talk to Gene and clear the air, tell him how I felt because I knew that he liked Elaine and she liked him but when I came down to the restaurant I saw him making out with Elaine. The team were whistling and cat calling as usual and she gave him his card, saying that if he liked to date she would be there. People thought that it wasn't serious but I knew otherwise, especially after I saw the way he kept looking at that card. He started dating her a few days after, I had found out from Ray and the boys, they knew that if they said it loud enough then I would hear it and I did did. Iwas gutted. I cried myself to sleep at night, I then stopped turning up to Lugis and started to throw myself into the job. When Gene would go out on his dates and the team would move to Lugis I would stay behind and work on my cases and met up with superiors and performed well. I represented the team on conferences and started doing lectures and training sessions throughout London because Gene had particular views on that sort of stuff. It was all I could do to stop the pain from tearing me apart especially when I saw her in his arms. The same look in his eyes that he used to give me before everything went bad was there. I knew that he had fallen for her and her for him."

Sandy started to have tears in her eyes as she saw another side to her badass superior whom she admired from afar for a very long time. Her heart went out to her but she also admired her for her strength and wisdom that can only come from experience.

"Anyway, it was announced that they were engaged and that destroyed me but I knew that there was nothing I could do. I had my chances and I blew them all. Trying to break them up will only make me look like a home wrecker and the whole team would have turned on me. I didn't want that for myself. I got a letter from our superintendent who had heard of my skills, successes and performance rating by word of mouth and offered me a promotion because his DCI was retiring. I took it. I knew that this was going to be a great opportunity for me professionally, a chance to make a difference in the force and for women. But it was also a chance for me to turn over a new leaf. I saw how happy Gene was with Elaine and I knew that the best thing to do was for me to turn my back, walk away and let him marry a woman that can make me happy and feel loved and appreciated. I owed him that."

"You're saying I should do the same to now" sighed Katherine.

"I am talking about letting go. I am talking about a woman who can make a man happy. Doing the decent and honourable thing no matter how painful is the right thing to do" explained Alex remembering her final goodbye to Gene and Elaine's promise to look after him for her.

Sandy just nodded in understanding as Alex looked on in sympathy.

"Go home, have something to eat and then sleep on it. I am giving you some time off, give you and everyone else some space for the sake of the team".

"What about the case?"

"DI Connelly, DS Baker and DI Tyler will help me. Plus I have the B team; give us all a breather for a while."

Sandy sighed out her thanks as she turned around and proceeded to head out of her DCI's office before she turned around and asked:

"Do you know what happened to Hunt?"

"Last I heard was he was married with two little girls and another child on the way. A boy this time I have heard" replied Alex.

"You went?"

"No, didn't feel the need to turn back to the past, DI Tyler was Gene's colleague during his time in Manchester and the wife of his best friend DI Sam Tyler before he died in a car accident. She went to his wedding and to his children's christening. She updates me on everything but that is all. Too much pain".

Sandy just nodded and left. Alex sighed as she turned her head to see a small little newspaper clipping on her wall. There on her wall surrounded by articles of her own success as DCI and DI in London and Manchester was a photo of Gene holding his little girl with his wife Elaine at the hospital on the day his second child was born. Both had smiles on their faces and both parents radiated with pride. Alex smiled sadly as she went to her drinks cabinet and filled her glass up with scotch and proceeded to drink, she was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed someone approaching her door.

"Alex..." It was Annie.

"Come in Annie" waved Alex. "Scotch?"

"You got some vodka?" asked Annie.

Alex just nodded and went to the cabinet once more to fill Annie's glass while proceeding to refill her tumbler.

"Thanks" said Annie as she sat down and proceeded to drink her vodka while Alex slumped on her chair and drank her scotch. It was Annie who broke the silence.

"What you said to Sandra was a brave thing Alex"

"You heard it didn't you?"

"Every word of it, it was very noble of you to walk away Alex."

"He made his choice and I had missed my chance, I knew that. Gene deserves to be happy even if it means me not being in his life anymore" sighed Alex.

"I spoke to him he was disappointed that you didn't show to the children's christening and also to the wedding."

"It's too painful Annie. I still love him and it would've been inappropriate. Plus I didn't want to be the centre of attention, everyone knew about Gene and I and I don't want to see the pitiful looks and hear the gossip."

"I know. It just seems so unfair though, you lonely and him happy."

"As a wise Jamaican once told me, there are some people who were never meant to find happiness, but were always destined to achieve greatness. That's me Annie. I may have not found personal happiness but professionally I couldn't be happier. I am respected around Manchester and throughout Britain and this team is a success. I have promoted women in the force and now I am on the verge of smashing an international drug, child kidnapping and trafficking syndicate that have been operating here throughout the UK for months. It is worth something."

"So glad you are being positive about this."

"People must make sacrifices for the greater good Annie. I have paid my dues."

"You thinking of retirement?"

"Not yet, the superintendent has been promoted to chief superintendent and someone has to fill his position. He offered it to me this morning. I am taking it. It will be official next week but I need a replacement to fill the role of DCI"

Annie was stunned. "you mean..."

"Annie Tyler...how would you like to be GMP's new DCI?"

Annie squealed and jumped to her feet, engulfing Alex in one big bear hug.

"This is such an honour, thank you so much! I will not let you down."

"I know you won't Annie, You have been here for me and you have proven yourself to be more than capable of doing the job" smiled Alex.

Both women smiled and turned to the picture of Gene Hunt. Both women picked up their glasses.

"To DCI Gene Hunt and DI Sam Tyler, for making us the coppers whom we are..." saluted Annie Tyler.

"To DCI Gene Hunt and DI Sam Tyler" smiled Alex as both women chink their glasses together as both women drowned their drink in one go.

Annie had left but Alex had stayed behind to make the promotions official with the super. After she had done the paperwork Alex drove home in her personal white Audi quarto and picked up some Chinese take away. She came home to her dark and empty flat, changed out of her white coat and grey suit into baggy jogging pants and a long sleeve top and poured herself a glass of white wine from New Zealand and dished up her dinner before getting comfortable in her bed while eating and watching TV. She had to admit to herself, she was lonely and it did hurt her. Annie was right in some respects, it was unfair, she deserved some happiness too but now she couldn't even look at another man now before comparing them to Gene.

When she needed to scratch that occasional itch she relied on her trusty vibrator to get her off while thinking about Gene. When that didn't work she resorted to relying on male escorts, while it was uncommon in Manchester there were a few around. Alex still had her looks and was still able to get any man that she wanted. If she wasn't fucking male prozzies she would be fucking men that she occasionally picked up at a conference away or at a bar. After they had a dance, a drink, and a flirt, they will go back to her place and shagged each other's brains out. The encounter lasted anything up to 30 minutes to an hour before she kicked them out and scrubbed herself in the shower before going to sleep. She always made them wear a condom while she had the pill...she was not one to take any chances. She was known around Manchester and indeed throughout London and Britain in general as the "ball breaker DCI" and the "shag them and toss them out" type of women. Some women admired her, some women disapproved of her but none of them can deny that she was a tough, independent woman who dominated the force and had paved the way for women in an area that was usually tough on women. Even the women who hated her admitted that she was a "revolutionary" woman and role model for any woman who wanted to make it on her own. Over time she became the poster child for the feminist movement. That did have its downside especially for critics who used her as an example of feminism's failure...the image of a successful woman who was lonely and unhappy because she could never find a man and settle down and have children.

The very thought made her cringe but in some aspects they were right, she was unhappy with her personal life but that didn't mean she didn't have a social life or any friends. Her team was one of the best in the GMP and indeed throughout Britain, word had gotten around of her success in London and she was then invited to conferences everywhere and she was even honoured by Germaine Greer with the "woman of the year award" along with all the other rewards and honours that she had received when attending police dos and galas. She had even met Margaret Thatcher at one point, even though she hated her policies and what she stood for. However like other women she still admired her for her gutsy attitude and fight, you needed it if you wanted to survive in man's world. However none of it can fill the hole that Gene Hunt had left behind. She still remembered when he had announced to everyone about his engagement to Elaine, it was in Luigis with Elaine by his side at the table that she and Gene used to share. It killed her to see Elaine there with Gene at their table with everyone saluting them and she had made a quiet exit to her flat. She remembered the day when she accepted the position as DCI and said her goodbye to Gene.

"_What do you want Drake?"_

"_I have come to give you my transfer and promotion papers for you to sign."_

"_You're leaving?"_

"_The Super called me into his office and got me to speak to the Super in Manchester, his DCI is retiring and he has offered me the job. I am taking it and I am leaving to get settled in tonight. Everything has already been arranged, I just need you to sign the papers, and the super says you can't refuse either."_

"_Shouldn't you have told me this before?"_

"_It was a last minute offer."_

"_Good choice of place" said Gene as he signed the papers and handed it back to her._

'_Yes it is."_

"_Why are you really leaving Drake?"_

"_I am not going to lie to you Gene, it is a great job and a wonderful opportunity for me to spread my wings and achieve something for the force and for me and for women everywhere. But I also know that after everything I still love you always have but I have missed my chance with you and I have to live with that. I can't stay here and watch you with Elaine, it kills me every day Gene. But I know that you are happy with Elaine and you love her and I am not going to stand in your way. You deserve to be happy and I am doing the honourable thing by walking away with my head held high and with some good memories. I want us to part on good terms, I don't want to leave on bad terms Gene." _

_I thought you hated me and Elaine Alex, you never congratulated us."_

"_I was gutted Gene, I was hurting about everything that had happened between us and all the hurtful things that was said. I was angry as well and I was in no state to be saying anything to you but now I accept it. I wish you and Elaine every bit of happiness in the world. I mean that."_

"_Ok" said Gene in a small voice, Alex's heart was breaking while she spoke, tears were threatening to spill out of her eyes but managed to hold it in._

_Gene raised his head to Alex with a sorrowful look on his face, Alex then went up to Gene and gently kissed him on his cheek before nuzzling in to his neck, eyes closed as she breathed in his scent for the very last time before moving away._

_Gene had his eyes closed and when he opened his eyes Alex said her final goodbye._

"_Goodbye Gene, you'll always be my Guv."_

_Gene smiled sadly as Alex turned and left his office, picking up her box that she had packed earlier and left him standing alone in his office._

Alex opened her eyes as another flashback entered her head. It was when she saw Elaine waiting for her before she got to her taxi.

"_Alex, I was hoping to catch you before you left."_

"_You know?_

"_Heard it from the team in Luigis."_

"_oh."_

"_I had thought that when Gene and I got into a relationship and announced our engagement you would wreak havoc and try to come between me and Gene like other women do"_

"_I won't lie, there were times when I thought about trying to break you up, but that would make me look like a desperate fool and it won't make Gene change his mind. He loves you, I missed my chance, nothing more, nothing less and I have to live with that. I can do that."_

"_I admire you Alex Drake."_

_Just look after Gene for me, he is a very special man."_

"_He is and I will."_

_Both women had then shook hands. It was a sign of a deep understanding between two women who loved one man. Alex then got into her taxi and left London for Manchester. When she was in the comfort of the cab she allowed her tears to flow as she openly sobbed her heart out, she could literally hear and feel her heart breaking into two as she wiped her eyes in a desperate attempt to wipe away her tears and her pain. The taxi driver who had watched her with sad but understanding and admiring eyes said in a calm voice:_

"_Be strong mon cher, you have a great destiny ahead of you, new people to meet and to guide, new adventures to have and new things to learn. You might not find happiness but I guarantee you, you are destined to achieve greatness...one that will have people talking for years to come._

_Alex just smiled through her tears and lifted her chin up...it is going to be a new day after all._

Everything that the Jamaican had said to her came true and while she had never found that someone she had helped so many people and she had achieved so much for herself and for women in the force. Nelson, another Jamaican had said the same thing to her when she first stepped foot into the railway arms, Alex had only nodded and drank her red wine. People had the good sense to leave her in peace. It was also the same day when she was approached by Annie who had heard about her, she was only as DS at the time and the two got talking and became fast friends. Alex had taken her under her wing along with the other officers and had helped trained them. It had led to many of her officers getting great reputations and promotions across other stations Annie was promoted to DI by her after 6 years being stuck as DS along with other female officers that had proved their worth. She was surprised to receive a wedding invitation from Elaine and Gene but of course she had declined, sending Annie instead because she was still hurting. She had heard about Elaine's first, second and now third pregnancy through Annie when she visited London (curtsey of the team who often invited her for a catch up). She had got an invitation to attend the christenings but again declined stating that she had paperwork to fill and meetings to encounter. She was happy that Gene had got his wish to become a father, even if it wasn't with her. With that thought in mind, Alex wiped away a lone tear that had fallen down her cheek, turned off her TV and curled up in her empty double bed.

_One Year later_

Superintendent Alex Drake grumbled as she came out of the meeting, feeling frustrated and tired. The case was going nowhere and she hated to admit defeat but the snout knew nothing and all their leads had hit dead ends and until something new came up then she will have to give up and render the murder of 19 year old girl a cold case. She was about to head home when she heard Annie calling her from CID.

"Alex, you won't believe who is here!"

"Annie, some other time ok, I am tired and I want to go home and sleep."

"Nice to see you too Bollykeks". Said a gruff northern voice from behind. Alex shivered, she didn't think she will hear that voice again.

She turned around only to be met with piercing blue eyes and a small shy smile. It was Gene Hunt alright, shuffling his feet from side to side with his hands in his pockets. Annie was bristling with joy, a reunion was on the cards, and she knew that Gene had to get away ever since Elaine died after the birth of their son Eugene. Gene had blamed himself but Annie had assured him that nothing could've been done. Elaine had been diagnosed with a serious illness while pregnant and the only way to save her was to abort the baby but she had refused. It had caused a lot of arguments between her and Gene until one day Elaine had collapsed and suffered from severe pains and aches. The illness had reached its critical point and everything came at a head with Elaine needing to go into surgery for an emergency C-section which led to a premature birth and ultimately her death. Eugene also had been touch and go for a while but he had recovered well. Gene had struggled to cope with a demanding job and three small children and it had seriously affected his performance at work, often taking his stress, grief and anger out on everyone on the team before top branch stepped in and took him off the streets. It was either become superintendent or get pensioned off, Gene chose the former since he had three mouths to feed and a mortgage to pay. He was owed some serious holiday time which he took after long discussions with Annie, he figured that it was time to face his past and right a few wrongs.

"I didn't think you will come up this way again Hunt"

Both Gene and Annie winced at Alex's use of his surname, both knew that this was not going to be easy for her but proceeded to go ahead with their plan.

"Well...me mam still lives here and I figured it was time the kids met their grandmother and spend some time getting to know their godmother and the place where their daddy grew up in" sighed Gene.

"Of course, Daisy is a wonderful woman".

"You've met her Alex?" asked Gene.

"Met her a few times on the street and the one time when she came in to make a statement about an armed robbery that she saw take place while she was out shopping. Tough woman, at least I know where her son gets that strength from" smiled Alex.

Gene nodded "shall we walk? Get dinner or something? Need to catch up."

Gene saw Alex's body stiffened and her jaw clench, he knew that she was still uncomfortable being around him and he backtracked. "Of course if you're not up for it then we can forget about it and do some other time". Alex just took in a deep breath before releasing it into the air once more.

"Sure, we'll take my car, just give me a few moments" replied Alex as she went back to her office while Annie turned to Gene and gave him thumbs up.

"So far so good Guv, still go softly softly she is still hurting and is always on her guard".

"I know Annie, thanks for looking after her."

"Someone had to Guv, there was no one else since you."

Dinner had been an awkward affair with Gene trying to start conversation while Alex attempted to stare and pick at her food.

"This is ridiculous" sighed Gene.

"What did you expect Gene? You can't just waltz in here after ten and a half years and expect everything to be all hunky dory" snapped Alex.

"I know, it's just that Annie tells me that you have turned into me...well the old me"

'Oh you mean, the drinking, the smoking, the shouting and the shagging around? I guess I fit into three out of those four categories, I don't smoke."

"Yeah, you've got a reputation now...the ball breaker and the shag em and dump em type"

Alex just shrugged "It's a man's world, I am the only female superintendent here in the GMP and Annie is only the second female DCI after me, we need to survive somehow. In regards to the shagging well it is only to scratch the occasional itch that I have now and again. If there is a cute guy who is willing to put out then we just fuck like rabbits for about 30 minutes to an hour max...depending on whether he is good in bed or not, kick him out, have a shower, eat something and go to bed. No biggie, they know the rules, no emotions, no strings attached, just some good old fashion shagging in the sack, sex to me is just a biological function now, getting all emotional is just a waste of time and it only leads to you being broken in the end" pronounced Alex.

Gene sat there open mouth, in shock of what he had just heard, he didn't think that she would change that much. Alex just looked at him the dead look in her eye scared him.

"What? Did you honestly think that I would be the same woman as the one you saw in London ten and a half years ago? In case you haven't noticed, a lot has happened to me since then, you don't know what I have been through so you don't have the right to judge me' snarled Alex.

"I would if you had just talked to me Alex".

"And why would I do that Gene? You got your happy ending and what about me? You left me broken hearted so what is the point of you being here? It took me a long time to get over you Gene, I don't want you playing mind games with my heart. I can't do that again" whispered Alex as her anger gave into her own internal despair.

Gene bowed his head, he felt so stupid coming here, it was a bad idea to begin with but Annie had persuaded him to come up and talk to her while the kids got were at his mum's house. But now that he has seen the broken Alex in front of him, he saw the damage that he had inflicted on her. She was right he didn't know what she had been through in these last ten and a half years, while he had been happily married with kids, she had been on her own dealing with sexist co-workers, she had grieved for daughter, she took on the scum of Manchester, she had defended herself from jealous women while nursing a beaten and broken heart. She had done this all of this on her own with the exception of Annie's assistance and Gene had to give her credit for that. He saw how difficult it was for her to walk away from him that night.

If it wasn't for Annie she would've been wiped out on the get go but in a way he guessed that she had been wiped out, the bright look in her eyes were dead, her posture stiff and guarded and her attitude towards life and relationships was cold and cynical. He shouldn't have been surprised though, Annie had told him about Alex's one night stands and her dark moods and he had heard of her reputation across all of Britain and especially in London. Whenever new recruits came through his doors from her department all of them would praise her as one of the best and intelligent DCIs they have ever worked for along with her nerves of steel and her ability to work under pressure and stare down those who dare defied her or challenged her but all had noted about her personal reputation and the gossip that been going around about her "unhappiness" and her promiscuous sex life. It had saddened him to find out about Alex in the manner that he did and he had tried to reach out to her through invitations and catch ups but every single one of those offers had been declined and Annie had been sent to stand in for her. He was disappointed and even told Annie so but Annie had told him that Alex was still hurting and was trying to move on. Stating that it wouldn't have helped her to come down and see him and Elaine get married and christen their kids especially since it was reminder of everything that she had lost. Annie had known that Alex would've been the talk of the town and Gene had figured that she didn't want that for herself which in hindsight was an honourable decision.

"I'm sorry for everything Bolly. Even for the stuff I did and said on the eve of operation rose, I didn't know what had happened to you and I didn't know about your daughter. I shouldn't have said the things that I said that night. Shouldn't have treated you the way I did afterwards either. At first I wanted to use Elaine to show you that if you didn't want me then other women did but I grew to like her a lot. The more we talked and the more got to know her the more I liked her. I realised that I had fallen for her after the 8th date, we didn't get involved sexually until our tenth date, both of us wanted to go slow. I should've been more considerate about my newly formed relationship status and I should've stopped Ray and the boys from flaunting it in your face, I knew you were hurting but a part of me wanted me to see you suffer" explained Gene, feeling ashamed of himself.

"Well it worked" whispered Alex.

"But you have to realise Alex that you didn't make it easy for me either."

"I know. I just didn't have the guts to take a chance, like I said I had my chance and I blew them that was why I knew I had to turn my back and walk away, the chief super who was my super at the time provided me a way out and I took it. I am sorry for the way I treated you though."

"Guess I deserved it because I started it with the whole bad mother and Jeannette stuff, wasn't thinking, me being a bastard as usual."

Gene was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't respond to Alex until she tapped him on the arm. He looked up and saw Alex staring at him...a question on her lips and in her eyes.

"How are the kids? What do they look like?"

"Oh Sheridan and Millie are doing great and that little rascal Gene Jr is a chip off the old block. Right little heartbreaker he is going to be and the girls are going to have so many boys chasing after them that I will need a shotgun to keep them all away. They will not being dating until they are at least 40 years old" Gene chuckled.

Alex smiled as Gene took out a photo and showed it to Alex. In the photo was his two little girls, both had long flowing golden blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, their chubby rosy cheeks glowing as they smiled up at the camera. One was about 7 years old and the other was 5. Next to the little girls on the bed was little one year old Gene Jr. who was crawling on the sheets in all fours, floppy blonde hair, a cleft chin and piercing blue eyes. Yep defiantly like his father. Alex just smiled and gave it back to Gene.

"You have beautiful children" sighed Alex.

"Yeah, I know, I have been lucky, never thought I would become a father"

Both of them smiled at each other.

"You did well Gene."

"So did you SuperBolly, blimey, never thought I will be saying that, you have achieved a lot since you became my DI."

Alex just blushed before looking around her only to see that everyone had left and the people running the restaurant was pointing their finger on their watch, signalling to Alex that their time is up.

"We should go."

"Yeh, it's getting late and the kids will be getting worried, don't like me out of their sight since their mam died".

Alex smiled sadly as they left the restaurant and climbed into Alex's car. Both started to go back to their old ways, him joking with her and Alex rolling her eyes while playfully returning his banter and flirtations. When Alex pulled up at Gene's mum's house things became silent between the two of them, not the uncomfortable silence that had engulfed him during dinner but an acceptance type of silence. The air had been cleared and past injustices had been righted. Gene turned to Alex.

"Right, better get going"

"Yeah."

"So umm...I was just thinking, it's Sheridan's birthday tomorrow and I was wondering if you could come to the party that me mam is hosting, Annie will be coming too."

"I don't know Gene, we've only just been reacquainted and things have just been settled between the two of us, I don't feel that it is appropriate."

Gene nodded his head in disappointment, a part of him had expected this, he didn't think that after all these years one conversation over dinner will repair the damage that had been inflicted on her but another part of him had hoped that she would accept. It would allow them to get to know each other again but held himself back.

"Tell you what, if I can finish this case that I am working on and wrap up my meetings on time with the chief super and I am not too tired then I will consider on coming to your little girl's party" reasoned Alex.

A smile lit up Gene's face and Alex felt her heart tremble, things were looking up. Gene then shocked her by leaning over intending to kiss her on the cheek but instead of hitting her cheek as intended he ended up kissing her on her lips due to Alex turning her head around. At first both were in shock before both lost themselves in the kiss with Alex closing her eyes and gliding her hand through Gene's blonde hair while Gene caressed her cheek. When the kiss came to its natural conclusion both rested their foreheads against the other while they proceeded to calm their breathing down, both breathing the other scent.

Alex was the first to open her eyes, Gene did the same and for a while both got lost in the other before Alex smiled briefly and pulled away.

"Guess I take it that you will be coming?" smirked Gene.

Alex just looked away, blushed and nodded quickly.

"Right I will see you tomorrow night...don't wear anything to slutty...that is for afterwards" growled Gene, waggling his eyes brows while Alex giggled in response.

"What makes me think you will be getting lucky tomorrow night Hunt?" challenged Alex, a mischievous look in her eye. The old Alex was back.

"Call it gut instinct, trust me Bolly, those lacy French knickers of yours will be dropping for me tomorrow night and we will be going at it for more than one hour, especially if that kiss was anything to go by. You need a good old fashioned Gene Genie seeing too." Growled Gene.

Alex's legs felt wobbly as her face blushed a deep scarlet colour as she giggled like a school girl, her love for Gene coming back more powerfully then before.

"So tomorrow? Party, then you and I will go to dinner followed on by some sweaty, dirty shagging at yours."

"You're on" challenged Alex.

Gene smiled and crashed his lips onto hers one last time, their tongues duelling passionately. Both knew that it was only a taste of what was to come tomorrow night.

"Night Bolly slutyknickers" winked Gene as he left the car and proceeded to head into his mum's house.

"Night Gene" sighed Alex as she started up the car and left.

Both however did not realise that the window on the right hand side the house was occupied by 3 little faces and one aged face. All four of them had smiles on as they high fived each other.

As Alex slept that night a smile on her face was seen for the first time in over 15 years and she had a feeling that there were many more smiles to come.

_FIN_

**Well that is it folks for this story, I wanted to get this fic out for a while and proceeded to write it. I will have the final instalment to Broken up during this week, I haven't forgotten it. Please read and let me know what you think of it.**


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